


Vale

by Sangerin



Category: Yes Minister, Yes Prime Minister
Genre: Community: 40fandoms, Implied Relationships, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-21
Updated: 2013-01-21
Packaged: 2017-11-26 08:17:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/648484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sangerin/pseuds/Sangerin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sir Humphrey had – in typical British parlance – had a good innings.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Vale

'You can go in now, Mr Hacker, sir,' said the nurse.

'Thank you,' said Jim. He opened the door into Sir Humphrey's bedroom: no nursing home for a former Cabinet Secretary with a knighthood and an independent income. He had stayed in his own home and only death would convince him to leave it.

Which was, of course, what everyone was now worried about.

Sir Humphrey had – in typical British parlance – had a good innings. He'd overseen the Department of Administrative Affairs for more years than anyone cared to think about: and then been Cabinet Secretary to two Prime Ministers. He'd been a giant of the British Civil Service. And now, in his own bed, he was looking tired, and even small.

'Humphrey,' said Jim, gently.

Sir Humphrey was awake. 'Prime Minister.' His voice was weaker than Jim had expected.

'I haven't been Prime Minister for many years, as you well know.' As Humphrey opened his mouth to speak again, Jim shook his head. 'Don't tire yourself out. I came to say thank you.'

Jim paused. 'I want you to promise never to repeat what I'm about to say to anyone, especially Bernard. And Annie.'

Humphrey nodded.

'I think you have been one of the most important people in my life, Humphrey. I care a great deal for you.' Jim's breath hitched as he reached the end of the sentence.

Humphrey had to take deep breaths to answer, and his words were halting. 'It has been. An honour. To work with you.'

Jim shook his head. 'Somehow, Humphrey, I don't quite believe you. I think you were always far more intelligent than me.'

'Not always,' replied Humphrey, his voice now raspy. 'An honour,' he repeated.

'Dear Humphrey,' said Jim softly. 'A gentleman to the last.'

'Of course.'

Jim bent down to place a brief kiss on Sir Humphrey's forehead. There was no one here to see, and one expected sentimentality from elderly men.

'Jim,' said Humphrey, even softer than before, as Jim was bent over him. Humphrey said nothing more, but there was an expression in his eyes that made Jim draw in his breath sharply. If he had ever spoken to anyone about it later, he would have mentioned the sense of peace in that expression. He would never have mentioned, to another living soul, the love that he read in that final glance.

Humphrey closed his eyes, and Jim stood up. 'Farewell, Sir Humphrey.'

**Author's Note:**

> It still seems somehow wrong to me that Nigel Hawthorne outlived Paul Eddington. Entirely the wrong way around.


End file.
